Thursday, March 29, 2007
Amazing facts about Azaan !
Have a look at a map of the world and you will find Indonesia on the eastern side of the earth. The major cities of Indonesia are Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Saibil.
As soon as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil, at approximately 5:30 am local time, Fajar Aazaan begins. Thousands of Muezzins (Person who says Azaan) in Indonesia begin reciting the Aazaan. The process advances towards West Indonesia. One and a half hours after the Aazaan has been completed in Saibil, it echoes in Jakarta.
Sumatra then follows suit and before this auspicious process of calling Aazaan ends in Indonesia, it has already begun in Malaysia. Burma is next in line, and within an hour of its beginning in Jakarta, it reaches Dacca, the capital city of Bangladesh.
After Bangladesh, it has already prevailed in western India, from Calcutta to Srinagar. It then advances towards Bombay and the environment of entire India
resounds with this proclamation. Srinagar and Sialkot (a north city in Pakistan) have the same timing for Aazaan. The time difference between Sialkot, Quetta, and Karachi is forty minutes, and within this time,Fajar Aazaan is heard throughout Pakistan.
Before it ends there, it has already begun in Afghanistan and Muscat. The time difference between Muscat and Baghdad is one hour. Aazaan resounds during this
one hour in the environments of Hijaaz-e-Muqaddas (Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah), Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq.
The time difference between Baghdad and Alexandria in Egypt is again one hour. Aazaan continues to resound in Syria, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan during this hour. The time difference between eastern and western Turkey is one and a half hours, and during this time it is echoed with the call to prayer.
Alexandria and Tripoli (capital of Libya) are located at one hour's difference. The process of calling Aazaan thus continues throughout the whole of Africa. Therefore, the proclamation of the "Tawheed" and "Risaalat" that had begun in Indonesia reaches the Eastern Shore of the Atlantic Ocean after nine and half hours.
Prior to the Aazaan reaching the shores of the Atlantic, the process of "Zohar Aazaan" has already started in east Indonesia, and before it reaches Dacca, "Asr
Aazaan" has started. This has hardly reached Jakarta one and half hours later, the time of "Maghrib" becomes due, and no sooner has "Maghrib" time reached Sumatra,the time for calling "Isha Aazaan" has commenced in Saibil!
When the Muazzins of Indonesia are calling out "Fajar Aazaan", the African Muazzins are calling the Aazaan for Isha. If we were to ponder over this phenomenon thoughtfully, we would conclude the amazing fact that there is not even a single moment when hundreds of thousands of Muazzins around the world are not reciting
the Aazaan on the surface of this earth.
Even as you read this material right now, you can be sure there are atleast thousands of people who are hearing and reciting the Aazaan!!!
Wasn't it amazing. Post your comments. This was recieved by me through an email by brother Wasim Quadri sometimes back. I don't know who has compiled it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Namaz Times of the World
All calculations are based on information and procedudres from the books:
1) "Zubda-tut-Tawqueet" by Mufti Syed Muhammed Afzal Hussain (former Mufti of Markaz-e-Ahle-Sunnat Manzar-ul-Islam, Bareily Shariff, UP, India)
2) "The Old Farmer's 1999 Alamnac" by Robert B. Thomas
Prepared under the guidance of Mufti of Dallas (Texas,USA), Honorable Allama Ahmed-ul-Qaderi Razawi
PS: All the calculations were verified with the US Naval Observatory's data.
For safety add 5 minutes after start time & substract 5 minutes from ending time for sahari & all prayer times; add only 2 minutes after start time for Maghrib & Iftar.
"Zawal Begins" = End time for Ishraq & Chasht.
Makhruh time is between "Zawal Begin" & "Zuhr".
Niyyat for Ramadhan & Nafl fasting (saum) can be done until "Zawal Begin".
For timings of Mumbai, check this website.http://www.islamicacademy.org/html/Times/Mumbai.htm
Monday, March 5, 2007
"786" - Does it stand for 'Bismillahi Rahmaani Raheem'?
786 is the numerical representation of "Bismillahirrahamaanirraheem" has no religious or Islamic significance.
The numerals 786 or any other numerals in no way represent 'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem' or other Surahs of the noble Qur'ân and is not the Sunnah either.
CAN NUMBER 786 REPLACE THE HOLY NAME OF GOD?
Allaah say in Qur'ân "Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'ân in order that you may understand" (Surah Yousuf 12:2).
We are instructed to recite the Qur'an Majeed, as can be seen from the following verses: "And (it is) a Qur'ân which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to me n at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages. (in 23 years)." (Surah Bani Israil 17:106); "....So RECITE as much of the Qur'ân as may be easy (for you),..." (Surah Muzammil 73:20).
Now would one recite the Qur'an if it is reduced to numbers? As an example, we shall reduce the Surah Fatihah to numerical figures for the benefit of the reader.
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem........................
Al-humdolillaahir rubbuaalamin..................
Ar-Rahmaan-ur-Raheem..........
Malikay yawm-midhdeen.................
Eeyya ka Na' Bo-du Wa eeyya ka nastha'een....................
Ah'daynas-sira thalmustaqeem...........and in NO WAY sacred. It is a conspiracy against the Holy Book of Allaah.
This old game of numbers was practised by the ancient Egyptians, as did many other civilizations. Islam came to ELIMINATE ALL such superstitions, mysteries and numerological mumbo-jumbo. However, Muslims are still enslaved to the number game, and think that 786 represent BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
The innovation of writing '786' replacing 'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem' has been adopted for a long time and the majority of the Ummah is still indulged in it inadvertently. Apart from the common folk, the scholars also heed no attention towards it and to avoid disrespect to the Holy Words they use it in their letters and documents. They adopt it as 'correct' and 'better' way to invite Allah's blessings and have also started replacing the Holy Words by this number on their houses, offices, buildings, etc. Unfortunately, this tendency is gradually gaining momentum. But, do we see this number instead of the Holy Words in the Holy Qur'ân? Or, can we write it there as well?
Can we remove 'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem' from the top of Surah al-Fatihah and replace it with the number 786? Obviously not.
If we study the Qur'ân, we see it carries the holy words in a letter from Prophet Solomon (pbuh) to the Queen of Sheeba - Bilqis - who was an infidel at that time. Even Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in his letters to different heads of states and governments, used the holy words at the top. Therefore, whosoever uses 786 with the intention to obtain Allaah's blessings, is a misguided person and any attempt to justify it, is ignorance.
More astonishing is that fact that '786' is an aggregation of the numbers of Hindu 'Lord Hari Krishna'.
H(a)ri Kr(I)shna h-5, R-200, R-10, k-20, R-200, sh-300, n-50, a-1 = Aggregate of 786, Thus, the aggregate number of these letters (Hari Krishna) equals 786. This is also the case of 'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem'. There can be many word that can make that count. The above was just an example and not to be taken in the wrong sense.
Islam's foundation is laid on the belief in Taw heed (oneness of God). If we associate anyone with Allah's exalted names orally or practically, we would be committing infidelity which is an unpardonable sin. The Qur'an warns us, one who finds a rival against Allah, Allah will never allow him to enter paradise, and his abode is the hell. The letters by the Prophet (pbuh) to non-Muslim Kings and chiefs bear the holy words 'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem'. This was also the case of his noble companions. Did the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions respect the Holy Words less than we do? Was the verse, 'Today I completed your religion for you' (Surah Maidah 5:3), revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) or to the so called scholars of our age who are all bent to amend the Divine principles.
Now, when it became known that '786' is written in place of Hindu, 'Lord Krishna', and has no significance in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah, it is obviously an innovation and goes against the Divine doctrine of 'Obey Allah and His Prophet'. Beware, of newly-innovated matters, for every innovation is a going astray (Jahanam).
Similarly, some Muslims replace Allah's name by the number '66' and the Prophet's name by '92'. But if one ask, the number '420' is used against somebody's name and he is called '420'. Can he bear such an insult?
Calling someone by a nick name is also a sin. Allah Ta'ala says, 'Don't call one another by nick names'. If Allah prohibits the use of nicknames for fellow human beings, how can He allow the use of such insulting replacement number for Himself and His Prophet (pbuh).'Bismillaah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem' great significance in the Qur'an and Muslims are ordered to begin any work but in the names Allah, not in the number of '786' or any other substitution.
Forwarded by brother Irfan
Zam Zam !
Fortunately, the news came to the ears of King Faisal, who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of Zamzam water to European laboratories for testing the potability of the water.
The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plants to carry out this task. It was here that I was employed as a desalting engineer (chemical engineer to produce drinking water from seawater). I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, I remember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I went to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka`bah explaining my purpose of visit.
They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet (5.5 by 4.3 meters), was the well that supplied millions of gallons of water every year to Hajis ever since it came into existence at the time of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) many, many centuries ago.
I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked the man to show me the depth of the well. First he took a shower and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up to just above his shoulders.
His height was around 5 feet, 8 inches (173 centimeters). He then started moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.
I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with the help of a big transfer pump that was installed at the well for the Zamzam water storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop, enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water. Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew that this was the only method by which one could find the entrance of the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this time I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well. After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted,
"Al-hamdu lillah! I have found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the bed of the well."
Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well.
Actually the flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I took the samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left the Ka`bah, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah. I was told that these wells were mostly dry.
When I reached my office in Jeddah, I reported my findings to my boss, who listened with great interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zamzam well could be internally connected to the Red Sea. How was it possible when Makkah is about 46.6 miles (75 kilometers) away from the sea and the wells located before the city usually remain dry?
The results of the water samples tested by the European laboratories and the one we analyzed in our own laboratory were found to be almost identical. The difference between Zamzam water and other (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts.
The content of these was slightly higher in Zamzam water. This may be why this water refreshes tired Hajis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the water was fit for drinking.
Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false. When this was reported to King Faisal, he was extremely pleased and ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this water that Allah bestowed as a gift on the faithful coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.
Some of the Features of Zamzam Water
This well has never dried up. On the contrary, it has always fulfilled the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability has always been universally recognized as pilgrims from all over the world visit the Ka`bah every year for Hajj and `Umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places.
Zamzam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually take place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odor problems.
But in the case of the Zamzam water well, there wasn't any sign of biological growth. Centuries ago, Hajra (RA) searched desperately for water in the hills of Safa and Marwah to give to her infant son Isma`il (peace and blessings be upon him). As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well that wasn't stopping, so Hajra (RA) shouted Zam Zam which in arabic means stop stop, and hence it came to be called Aab - e - Zam Zam (Zamzam water).
Research by brother Tariq Hussain, Riyadh
By brother Mu`in Ad-Din Ahmad
Forwarded by Brother Shaheen